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(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. FRIBORG. PIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Aug. 3, 1886.

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(No Model.)

J. FRIBORG.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 346,540. Patented Aug. 3, 1886.

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FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 346,540. Patented Aug. 3, 1886.

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N.' PETERS. Pwiljlhugnphsr. Washington D JOHN FRIBORG, OF

' ATENT EEICE.

LONDON, ENGLAND.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,540, dated August3, 1886,

Application tiled February 17, 1885. Serial No. 156,179.

'No model.) Patented iu England February 26,1884, No. 3,956; in France,

December 9, 1884, No. 165,828 g in Germany December 11, 1884, No.32,398; in Belgium February 6, 1885, No. 67,7725; in Italy, March 3l,1885, XIX, 18,012, XXXV, 402, and in Austria-Hungary July 9, 1885, No.4,345 and No. 33,701.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN FRIBORG, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at London, England, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of an improved fireescape.

In carrying out my invention I provide a carriage with which I combine atelescopic ladder of the construction hereinafter described, and meansfor raising and extending the ladder in a simple and expeditious manner.

In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will describethe same by reference to the accompanying drawings,in which-- Figure lrepresents a side elevation of my improved fire-escape, the parts beingin the position they occupy when traveling. Fig. 2 is a similar view,but showing the apparatus in its raised position ready to be extended.Fig. 3 is a plan of the carriage of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a plan ofthe ladder. Figs. 5 to I6 are detached details of various parts of theapparatus.

Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts.

The carriage of the apparatus, as shown in Figs. l and 2, is constructedof a platform, a, of suitable dimensions, and which serves for carryingthe men and the gear. The platform is mounted on two pairs of wheels, bb and c c. The axle of the pair of hind wheels, b b, is fixed to theplatform a, and-the axle of the front pair ot' wheels, c c, is carriedin a sliding bearing, d, shown in the detached sectional views at Figs.5 and 6. rllhe said sliding bearing is constructed with a groove, a2,which receives a corresponding projection, a, forming a guide fixed tothe under side of the platform a. A screw, e, and screw-nutf areprovided, the nut being fixed to the sliding bearing d in such a mannerthat the turning ofthe screw c by means of a crank-handle, t', withwhich it is provided at each end of the platform a, or by other suitablemeans, will cause the sliding bearing d, and with it its pair of wheelsc, to be moved toward or away from the other pair of wheelsb, accordingto the direction in which the screw e is turned.

Figs. 13 and 14 are transverse sectional views of the carriage.

The improved ladder,which is clearly shown in Fig. 4, is made inlengths, each length being provided with a chute, g, Fig. 2, preferablyconstructed of wire-netting. The several lengths ofthe ladder are madeof such dimensions that they may slide one within the other,telescopewise, as shown in Fig. 7, which represents a cross-section ofthe sides of the ladder, on the line A B of Fig. 8, which is a plan ofthe same. The sides of the ladders are provided with a rabbet, h, inwhich slide projecting pieces j, formed at each end ofthe lengths of theladder. Such piecesj, when the ladder is lengthened,come againstprojections orstops shown at 7c, Fig. 9, which is a detached sectionalview on the line G D of Fig. 8, the said stops serving to limit theoutward play of the parts of the ladder.

Figs. l() and l1 are cross-sections on lines E F and G H, respectively,of Fig. 8, and Fig. l2 is an elevation of the sides of the severallengths of the ladder.

To the lowest and largest length Z of the ladder and chut-e, and nearthe center of each side thereof, are jointed at m, as shown in Figs. land 2, one end of a pair of levers, n, the other ends of the two leversbeing jointed to an axle, o, provided above the axle of the largerwheels b of the carriage. To the centers of the said levers at parejointed another pair of levers, q, the other ends thereof beingjointed at i to an axle upon the sliding bearing cl.

s is a stay,which is jointed to the length Z of the ladder at tand nearthe center of the lever q at t', which stay serves to bring the ladderinto the required position when raising and lowering the same.

For extending the ladder, it is provided at the lower end of its lowestand largest length Z with a pair of drums, u, as clearly shown at Fig.4, and at Fig. l5,which shows' a detached view of a portion of thesaidlength of the ladder, round which drums are wound cords, chains,or theirequivalents, v. On the drums u are fixed toothed wheelsw, gearing withpinions @,which are operated by means of winchhandles y, Fig. 4. Thesaid cords or chains v ICO pass over pulleys z, as shown in Figs. 8 and12. The cords or chains v are in this manner connected with the severallengths of the ladder, so that the same can be easily and expeditiouslyextended by turning the handle y of the gearing. A ratchet, a', and pawlb', are provided for each drum to keep the ladder in its raisedposition. rIhe upper end of the last length, Z, of the ladder isprovided with a platform, d', as shown in plan at Fig. 16, for theperson in charge of the escape to stand upon and assist persons to besafely lowered down the chute, the said platform having rails d2 at thesides thereof.

e are wheels or rollers to enable the end of the ladder to slide againstthe walls of the building or the like.

When it is required to lower persons from the platform d', a rope isemployed running over a pulley, f', Fig. 16, the travel of which ropecan be regulated by anysuitable means. When the person being loweredarrives at the bottom of the chute, the lower rungs of the ladder openoutward, as shown at 7c in Figs. 4 and 15, the said rungs being pivotedin the sides for that purpose.

When the escape is not in use, or is being moved from place to place,the ladder is in its closed position and lies horizontally,or nearly so,over the platform, as shown in Fig. l.

To raise the ladder' for use, the screw e is turned by its handle i, andthe sliding bearing d being thereby moved forward, will operate thelevers n and q and the stay s connected to the ladder, as described, andthe ladder will thereby be raised into the required vertical or nearlyvertical position, as shown in Fig. 2,and the lengths ofthe ladder maythen be extended by the above-named gearing (shown in Figs. 4, 8, and15) to the required height. To bring the parts back to their normalposition, the pawl b must be released from the ratchet-wheel a', and thegearing and screw are then turned in the opposite direction.

The bearing or fore carriageof the front wheels is arranged to turnhorizontally on the body thereof in the ordinary manner, and in order toprevent this turning when the apparat-us is brought to the place whereit is required to raise theladder the frame of the seat f/ is extendedbackward on each side of the carriage, and is 4pivoted atr to thesliding bearing Land also carriesatail-piece, h',which, by turning theseat gupon itspivot o* up over the platform a, as shown in Fig. 2, willbe caused to bear against the axle of the front wheels and fix them inposition.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature ofmysaidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, Ideclare that what I claim isl. In a fire-escape, the combination, with acarriage having sliding bearings for one pair of wheels, of thedescribed system of levers n q. arranged as set forth, and the stays s,for effecting the raising and lowering of the tireladder,substantiall yas hereinbefore described, and represented in the accompanying drawings.

2. In combination, acarriage having sliding bearings for one pair ofwheels, a system of. levers and stays for raising and lowering thenre-ladder, mechanism, substantially as described, for actuating thesliding bearings, a series of independent chutes, one for each length ofladder and arranged to slide one within the other, and mechanism forextending such lengths and chutes.

J. FRIBORG.

Witnesses:

A. ALBUTT, T. W. PRICE.

